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EYE
SPY NEWS |
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 Mike Tyson possessed one. Michael Jackson too. Now other rich and famous personalities across the world can also have them. If the idea mooted by the Indonesian Ministry of Forests is anything to go by, then owning a tiger as a pet might turn out to be the most desperate conservation strategy ever planned for the endangered Sumatran tiger.
Before your mind begins to reel, lets see what was put on the table by the Indonesian ministry. A citizen who can offer a cage of 16 feet by 19 feet by 32 feet, and land area of around 53,000 square feet--the size of a football field-- can rent a pair of tigers for US $100,000 (around Rs 46 lakhs). He or she has to agree to random visits from state’s veterinaries every three month.
Ministry official Wuryanto said, “This idea of selling tigers to the public came about after several wealthy businessmen proposed buying them. They don’t just want to own horses. They want to be acknowledged as specially privileged people by keeping tigers. But we are not in it for the money. We want to save the tigers.”
There have been many such (care)takers for tiger as pets across the world now. Hoping for the scheme to work, Chief Conservation Official of the ministry, Daori said “Let’s think of the tigers’ new homes as mini-zoos.” What next Mr. Daori, a golden leash for the precious pet?
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Australians are now all geared up to celebrate “Toad day out”, their annual festival, when they kill as many cane toads (bufo marinus) as possible. They kill this species because they believe its venom is harmful for other native animals and its breeding must be checked. The toads used to be beaten to death by golf sticks and cricket bats till environmentalist raised a hue and cry. Since then they were being suffocated with carbon diooxide filled bags. Now voices are rising in protest of this method too.
The State Department of Environment and Conservation ran tests in 2008 which showed that the toads regained consciousness after passing out initially. Now John Burey, an Australian farmer has come up with a more humane solution. Why not export this frog to China instead, where the venom is used in medicines and the meat used as food. It remains to be seen whether this will work.
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And the bravery award for saving lives of thousands by warning them about landmines laid in the Helmland province in Afghanistan goes to – woof woof – a dog! A eight year old Labrador called Treo is on duty here. He sniffs the explosives, cautioning the soldiers. Treo has been awarded with a† Dickin medal at the Imperial War museum, UK. This award was constituted specially to honour animals who have served in the war. Till date, 62 animals have received it and the list includes 26 other dogs, 32 Second World War messenger pigeons, three horses and one cat. Our salute, too, to the lesser known foot soldier!
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River Amazon is now bottled up! Its waters are being stolen by European and Middle Eastern nations. A report published in the law journal, Consulex,†says that large water bags are being filled and hauled across the Atlantic by multinationals.†This trade grows as companies find treating freshwater to be more cost effective than desalinization. Such smuggling was first reported by a journalist, Von Erick Farfan, in the publication, Ecoagencia. The report says, tankers transporting oil, would carry back freshwater filled in them. Despite being banned by the Brazillian government, this practice continues. |
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Illustrations: Arundyuti |
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